Outlet locator



A. -J. PETERSON OUTLET LOCATOR Filed April .16, 1925 May 13, 1930.

-. and varrangements yof Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED .STATES vPATF.,NT OFFICE ABDEL JOHN PETERSON, Oia` cincAGo, ILLINOIs OUTLET LOCATOR Application led Apri! 16, 1985. Serial No. 28,89.

`My present invention relates to improvements in outlet locators, made in the form of outlet covers for use in conjunction with outlet boxes, and my invention has for itsparamount object the provision of a device of vthis character which will be economicalin manufacture and highly efficient in use.

More s eciically, my invention relates to an outlet ocator adapted to be used in place of the usual outlet box cover and constructed with a front wall for completely closing the entrance to the outlet box to keep out forelgn matter; and the principal object of m invention is the provision of a device o this character in which the inclosing front wall is constructed to include a separable portion having a projecting locator member ada ted to mark the location ofthe outlet box i the inclosing lwall becomes smeared with plaster 2o as means for receiving the orce necessary for the removal of the separable portion when it is desired to have access to the outlet box.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists inthe combinations parts hereinafter described an claimed..

#The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 re resents a .fragmental section through a wa l, showing my 'outlet cover andv locator associated with an outlet box arranged in the wall;

lig. 2 represents a face view of the parts shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents an end view of the weakcned closure plate as it appears when separated from the outlet box cover;

Fig. 4 is a face viewof the part shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a central sectional view through an outlet box cover rovided with a modified form of weakened c osure plate.

With more particular reference to the parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, 6 represents an outlet box of any customar type, adapted to be installed in the-wall g in the usual wa to afford a container for the usual electric switch and wires. 8 deor other material and ada ted also to serve notes the customary conduits which lead through the wall to the Outlet box. It will b e understood that the in the wall before the laster 8 or other suitable surfacing materia is applied to the wall.

The preferred embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises an Outlet box cover 9 formed allaround with the usual flange 10 adapted to fit i'lat against the ilange 11 of the outlet U0 box 6 and to be secured thereto by means of suitable bolts 18 and 19. The box 6 is secured in position by any usual means and is also held in position by means of the conduits 8 which are in turn securely held by suitable 5 means (not shown). The plaster 8 is held by laths 17, which are suitably secured by studding 7 and over the plaster 8 is a finished coat 20 which may extend over the outlet box h covering, as shown in Figure 1. This outlet 0 boxcover 9 is made with a circular front wall or plate 12 for closing the entrance into the outlet box 6 to prevent portions of the laster :from entering thereinto during the p astering operations, and lsaid front wall or plate is arranged to be removed or knocked out along separating lines 13 after the plastering operations have been completed and when it is desired to have access to the outlet box for connecting up or installing such wiring and appliances as conditions may require. The wall or closure plate 12 is made with an out-Y wardly projecting member 14 which is employed as means for indicating or marking the osition of the outlet box where the wa l or c osure plate 12, as usually ha pens, becomes smeared or surfaced with p aster and which is also em loyed as means for receiving pressure or llght blows from a hammer when the wall or closure late is to be re- 00 moved or knocked out. referably and as shown, the weakened closure plate 12 consists of an insert and the separatin lines 13 consist of edges 15 bevelled inwar y of the cover and in a direction away from the locator D" member 14, so that the separating lines 13 will readily7 give away permitting the closure late to be riven inwardly of the cover when orce is exerted upon the free end of the member 14. Inits production, the closure plate 12 is prefoutlet box is installed part of the outlet cover 9. It is then sheared or punched out so as to produce the bevelled edges 15, whereupon it is expanded and then finally resecured in its original position b a drive iit. While the closure plate is pre erably produced in this-manner, it will be obvious that it may also be viding erforated lines, alt ough this meth od resu ts in the provisionA of undesirable ragged edges.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate the closure plate 12 not only weakened along the separating lines 13 but also weakened along the similarly beveled separating lines 16 which encircle the base of the locator member 14. When the closure plate 12 is thus twice weakened, lthe separating lines 16 are produced so as to have less strength than the separating lines 13, so that the locatorI member 14 may be driven out along the lines 16 without separating the plate along the lines 13. This is accomplished by means of the cutting die which spreads the metal slightly at 16 in the cutting process, so that when the cut out portions are forced back into osition, the separating line 16 is much wea er than the separating line 13. If desired, the se aratmg lines 13 may be omitted entirely an the closure plate weakened only at the separating lines 16.

From the foregoing description, taken in Y connection with the accompanylng drawin it will be understood by those familiar wit this art that my improved outlet cover will prevent plaster and all foreign matter from entering into the cavity of the outlet 'box 6 during the plastering operations; that where the wall or closure plate 12 is smeared with plaster during the plastering operations, the projecting member 14 will show the position of the outlet box; and that where it is desired to connect up or install wiring or appliances, access to the box may be had by forcing or knocking out the-wall or plate 12. It may be remarkedhere that where buildings are rapidly erected, the plasterers are sometimes set to work before the electricians have had an opportunity to install the switches or other appliances in the outlet boxes. Wherethis condition prevails, covers weakened only along the lines 13 are used with a view to roviding openings appropriate for installing the switches and Cnecessary accessories. Where, on the other hand, the leads have been installed prior to applying the plaster and it appears that small openings for the accommodation of plugs or leading out wires are all that will be required,

roduced by pro-r employed, the separating lines 16 providing small openings for the plugs or leading out wires of the installations already housed in the outlet box, while the separating lines 13 make provision for the contemplated future changes.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eifect, this is capable of variation and Amodification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modii'cations 'as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An outlet box cover including a closure plae frictionally retained in an opening in s ai bedded in a plastered surface as a means to locatel said outlet box and also as an instrumentality in facilitatin the removal of said closure plate from said ox by percussion and pressure.

2. An outlet box cover having means forattachment to the outlet box and provided plate, said closure plate having a pro- ]ecting boss serving when said plate. is emon said element Afor aidingthe removal of the element from said plate.

3. An outlet box cover; including a part imbedded in a plastered surface and adapted to be attached to the outlet box, said part having an aperture the circumscribing edges of which are bevelled, and a plate for closing said aperture, said plate having a bevelled edge registering and being held in frictional engagement with the bevelled edge of the aperture of said part, a projection formed'integral with said plate for indicating the position of the aperture, said projection being adapted to receive pressure for displacing the said plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciication.

ABDEL JOHN PETERSON.

covers weakened only along-lines 16 may be there is doubt as to the permanency of the installations, that is, where it may be desired to change the installations at some future time, covers with both sets of separating lines 13 and16 are 

